ADAPTABLE PROGRAMMING GUIDE FOR NETWORKED DEVICES
A system and method for scheduling and distributing program is disclosed. The schedule utilized in the system and method preferably comprises a source field and one or more corresponding content data fields. The source field lists program providers and the content fields lists programs that are available from the program providers. The schedule is preferably configured to list programs having different start times and/or different ranges of duration times within entries of the same column. In the preferred method of the instant invention, the schedule is generated from user preferences that include selected program providers. In the system of the instant invention, the schedule is a displayable electronic schedule, wherein a user can select programs listed within the schedule with a suitable control device in order to initiate the distribution of the selected program to a user location over a network.
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The present application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/000,495 filed Oct. 30, 2001, which in turn claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/244,790, filed Oct. 31, 2000 and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/909,676, filed Jul. 19, 2001, which claim priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/219,857 filed Jul. 20, 2000 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/233,581, filed Sep. 19, 2000, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to systems for and methods of distributing content data. More specifically, this invention relates to systems for and methods of distributing programs from customized program schedules.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThere are numerous media services which provide scheduled programs on a viewing device, such as a television set. There are standard broadcast services which provide channels that can be received by virtually any television tuner through an antenna connector. There are cable services which typically offer packages of preselected channels to the consumers and that required a decoder at the television tuner or on the cable line at an external location. Cable services continuously broadcast scheduled programming through a preselected set of channels which are received through a cable connector on a television set. There are also a number of pay-per-view services which allow customers to receive scheduled one time program transmissions through the cable network. Other available services include satellite programming which allow consumers to select on demand pay-per view-programs from a set of available programs.
Each of these programming services require that consumers monitor program availabilities to determine if a desired program is offered. None of the current program services provide a single convenient system for users to select programs offered from different program providers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe current invention provides a system for and method of conveniently viewing and selecting programs offered from a number of program providers. Preferably, the system and method of the instant invention allow a user to view a customized program schedule tailored to the user's program interests and/or needs. Further, it is preferred that the user can control the program schedule in a number of different ways to modify the schedule to reflect the user's changing interests and/or needs.
Accordingly, the schedule utilized in the instant invention is configured for displaying content information for content data that is available from a plurality content providers. The schedule preferably list the names, and/or symbol, of the content providers as entries within a source field. The schedule preferably lists corresponding content availabilities as entries within a content field. Entries within the source field and corresponding entries within the content field are preferably arranged in parallel columns and aligned with each other, such that a person viewing the schedule can read the name, and/or the symbol, of content providers and corresponding content availabilities from left to right.
Content data availabilities that are listed within the content field preferably include times that content data is available from each of the providers. For example, the schedule can list start times and finish times for content data available from scheduled content data providers. In addition, the schedule can list duration times for content data available from on-demand content data providers. The schedule utilized in the instant invention is particularly useful for organizing and displaying content data available from both scheduled content providers and on-demand content providers within a single viewable or readable frame. Preferably, a portion of the content data listed describes on-demand digital video programs available from one or more of the content providers.
In accordance with an embodiment of the instant invention, the content field is configured to list a first set of entries corresponding to program times, as described above. The first set of entries can also list titles, names and/or descriptions of available programs. A second set of entries within the content field can list additional program availabilities and/or provide additional information regarding programs listed in the first set of entries. For example, the second set of entries can list costs and/or download times of video programs available from one or more content providers. Preferably, the second set of entries are arranged in a parallel column that is aligned with each corresponding entry from the first set of entries and corresponding source providers.
The schedule utilized in the instant invention is preferably an electronic program schedule that is displayable on an electronic device such as a computer screen or television screen. A user is preferably capable of selecting a program from the schedule, whereby the selected program is received and/or viewed at a specified user location. Preferably, a portion of the selected programs are transmitted to the user location over a suitable network, such as a cable network or the internet.
In further embodiments of the invention, the schedule is configured with a descriptor field. The descriptor field is configured for displaying a detailed description of one or more programs that are available from the content providers. Preferably, the descriptor field is configured to provide a description of a program that is selected by a user from the schedule and/or is available at the time that the schedule is being viewed.
In yet further embodiments of the instant invention, the schedule has a search field that allows a user to search program availabilities from content providers. Preferably, the search field allows the user to enter a subject, a term, a set of terms, a time and/or a range of times and initiate a search for programs that correlate with the subject, the term, the set of terms, the time and/or the range of times entered within the search field. The system of the instant invention preferably searches a data-base that includes program availabilities for content providers which are listed on the schedule and/or program availabilities for networked content providers not listed on the schedule.
In still further embodiments of the instant invention, the schedule comprises one or more appliance fields that preferably comprise entries listing a networked appliance. The appliance fields also preferably include status entries for listing the status the networked appliance. In accordance with this embodiment, the schedule also preferably comprises a control field for selectively controlling the networked appliance.
The schedule can also have a filter field with one or more filter selections. The filter selections are configured to regulate or filter providers and/or program availabilities to be listed as entries within schedule. For example, a filter selection can be programmed to prevent all Western programs from being listed in the schedule. By selecting this filter, programs containing Western content data will be excluded from the program schedule.
In a preferred method of the instant invention, the program schedule is generated from a list of user preferences. User preferences can includes but are not limited to selected content providers, user likes, user dislikes and/or user availabilities. The user preferences are then used to select programs that are compatible with the user preferences. Preferably, user preferences are stored on a remote server, wherein the user can accesses his or her account and modify the user preferences to generate an updated program schedule. In other embodiments of the instant invention, the program schedule is automatically updated. For example, the program schedule can be configured to automatically and periodically update based on programs selected from the schedule.
The system of the current invention preferably comprises a suitable controller device for selecting programs from a program schedule, as described above. Preferably, the program schedule is displayable on a monitor or television, wherein the user can view the schedule and select programs on-demand and/or information regarding programs by selecting a section of the screen listing one or more entries of interest. Suitable controller device include, but are not limited to, a mouse, a keyboard and an infrared remote control. The control device can include a touch sensitive screen, whereby the user can select programs on-demand and/or information regarding programs by touching a section of the screen listing one or more entries of interest. In operation, selected programs are preferably transmitted to an internet appliance at a user location, where the programs are viewed directly or downloaded to a memory device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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Content data availabilities listed as entries in C1, C2, C3 and Cn and/or C1′, C2′, C3′ and Cn′ preferably include times that programs are available from each of the providers S1, S2, S3 and Sn. For example, the schedule 100 can list start times and finish times for programs available from scheduled program providers and list duration times for programs available from on-demand program providers. For entries in column 104 that list an on-demand program, the down-load time and/or cost of the on-demand program is preferably listed as an adjacent entry in the column 105.
Because, the program schedule 100 of the instant invention is configured to list program times and or duration times as individual entries from each program, the schedule 100 is particularly useful for organizing and displaying program availabilities from both schedule program providers and on-demand program providers in a single viewable schedule frame.
In operation a user enters a subject, a term, a set of terms, a time and/or a range of times within data window 215. A search is preferably initiated by selecting an enter button on a key board or clicking on a search icon 213 displayed in the search field 211 using a suitable control device, such as mouse.
In further embodiments of the instant invention the schedule 200 is configured with windows that 207 and 209 configured for listing advertising and/or streaming information such a weather reports, sports scores and or local events. Preferably, the program schedule 200 also displays the local time in one of the schedule windows 207 and 209, or another suitable location on the schedule 200.
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In still further embodiments of the instant invention, the schedule 300 comprises one or more appliance fields 315 and 320. The appliance field 315 list types of networked appliances D1, D2 to Dn. The appliance field 320 preferably lists additional information about the appliances D1, D2 to Dn as data entries in the columns 323 and 325. Additional information can include, a location, a description and/or a status or one or more networked appliances, as described in the following examples.
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In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one of the networked appliances D1, D2 to Dn is an entertainment appliance for viewing or recording programs selected from the schedule 300. In the example illustrated, an entertainment appliance D2 is listed as a living room VCR. Within the appliance entry of column 323, the VCR is listed as having no-tape, alerting a user that a cassette tape must be provided before recording a program. The schedule 300 preferably comprises at a selectable control field 314 that allows a user to operate the VCR, or other networked entertainment appliance to play, record and/or view programs. For example, the user can select the Show C using a suitable control device, as described below, and select the record icon listed within the control field to program the VCR to automatically record the Show C. A second entry within the column 325 lists a detailed status of the VCR. In this example, the second entry within the column 325 tells the viewer that the VCR is on and that the VCR is programmed to record the Show C at 12:30 PM.
In still a further embodiment of the invention, the schedule 300 is configured with a filter field 310 having one or more filter selections F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 and Fn. The filter selections F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 and Fn are preferably selectable to filter out or regulate either content providers and/or program availabilities listed in the program schedule 300. For example, a selectable filter selection can be programmed to prevent all Western programs from being listed within the content field 303. Alternatively, a selectable filter selection can be programmed to prevent all Sports program providers from being listed in the source field 310. The schedule format 300 can also include headers or footers for listing advertising, streaming weather reports, reporting sports scores, reporting local events and/or providing the local time.
In yet a further embodiment of the invention, the schedule 300 is configured with a descriptor field 317. The descriptor field is 317 is configured for listing a detailed description of one or more programs that are available from the content providers. For example, when a user enters a search for History programs within the search field 315, the descriptor field 317 can be configured to describe history programs currently available from providers listed on the schedule 300 and/or other networked providers, as described below.
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In a preferred method of the instant invention the electronic program schedule 150/350 is generated from a list of user preferences. User preferences can include, but are not limited to selected content providers, user likes, user dislikes and/or user availabilities. A distribution network provides a link between a user location and the a remote server which stores the user preferences and the electronic program schedule in a user account. The user can access his/her account through the network to view the schedule and/or modify the account to generate an updated program schedule. In another embodiment of the instant invention, the program schedule is automatically updated. For example, the system and network can be configured to automatically updated the program schedule based on the user's habits, such automatically added programs selected from previous version of the user's schedule.
The distribution architecture of the instant invention preferably utilizes a server unit coupled to remote content providers. The server unit provides a central hub for content data distribution. The server unit monitors content data availabilities from the content providers and organizes the program availabilities into customized program schedules in accordance with user codes.
The user codes preferably provide for a selection of services desired from the content provider. The user codes can also provide for the selection of content data based on information about the intended user, wherein the content data corresponds to scheduled or on demand programs, which may viewed or played at user locations.
A user preferably can view or access their account and select programs to be transmitted to a predetermined location and/or modify account preferences including, changing content providers and/or services provided therefrom.
In accordance with one embodiment of the current invention, the system server 505 authorizes and initiates program transmissions to the device 501 by providing the content provider 511 with a logical address of the device 501 or location of the device 501 on the network. Alternatively, the server causes the device 501 to authorize and initiate program transmissions from the provider 511 to the device 501.
According to an alternative embodiment of the instant invention, program transmissions are automatically initiated from the content provider 511 to the device 501 based on the preferences 507 and 509 and/or a program schedule without requiring the user to make a program selection.
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In an alternative embodiment of the instant invention, program schedules are assigned to internet appliances 801 and 802 according to the programs schedule assigned to the devices. Accordingly, a user sets up a list of preferences for each internet appliance 801 and 802 and program transmissions which are receivable at each of the internet appliances 801 and 802, as determined by program schedule generated for each internet appliance 801 or 802. Preferably, the servers 807 and 811 are responsible for controlling the authorization of the appliances 801 and 802 to receive a program transmission from the providers 812 and 815
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The architecture 900 can provide for the ability to select a second receiving location 909 to receive a program transmission. The second receiving location 909 is preferably coupled to the network 903 and/or is configured to selectively receive broadcast content data from at least one of the providers 915 and 916 and/or control from the providers 911 and 913. When program transmissions are digital video program transmissions, the second location is preferably identified by providing the server 910 with a logical address corresponding to the second receiving location 909.
In the step 633, a program scheduling criteria is developed. The program scheduling criteria can be any simple or complex algorithm, but preferably includes weighting factors for user preferences acquired in the step 631. For example, in the step 631 a user inputs that their professional interests include healthcare. Thus, programs which deal with healthcare issues may be given high priority in the customized program schedule developed in the step 639. If in the step 631 the user inputs that they do not like sports, then sports programs can selectively be eliminated from the customized program schedule or, alternatively, are give low priority in the customized program schedule developed for that user in the step 639.
After the program scheduling criteria is generated in the step 633, then in step the 635, the server reviews program availabilities for all of the designated content providers. The server can obtain program availabilities automatically from the content provider or, alternatively, extract program availabilities over the network. In yet a further embodiments, the program availabilities can be entered into the server manually. Program availabilities are preferably updated at the server as new programs become available or as program availabilities change. After the program availabilities are compiled at the server in the step 637, the server catalogs the programs into a customized program schedule according to the user criteria and preferably organized into a display format, such as illustrated in
After viewing the personal program schedule in the step 653, the user can preferably modify the account and/or user preferences. By refreshing the account, the server re-compiles program availabilities based on the new account information or modified preferences. It is also preferable that the user can search a server data based for alternative programs, which are not displayed in the personal program schedule, using a simple search engine.
After the program is selected in the step 655, then in the step 657 the transmission of the program to the user location is initiated by any number of conventional mechanisms including, but not limited to, initiating a broadcast of a program, decoding a local receiver to receive an encrypted broadcast, transmitting data to a port on a system network or be routed from the server to a receiving device or alternatively can be distributed directed from the content provide which receives authorization for the server to transmit programs to the user location. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the system for distributing content data is a pay-per-view system, wherein the user is automatically billed for each program transmission.
The customized program schedules utilized in the instant invention can be supported with any number of network architectures, hardware and software. Therefore, the present invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments incorporating details to facilitate the understanding of the principles of construction and operation of the invention. Such reference herein to specific embodiments and details thereof is not intended to limit the scope of the claims appended hereto. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made in the embodiment chosen for illustration without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
1. An electronic program schedule comprising:
- a source field for listing content providers;
- a content field for listing a first set of variable program time corresponding to times when content data is available from the content providers; and
- an appliance field for providing a listing of at least one network enabled home appliance.
2. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, wherein the content field is configured for listing program titles available from the content providers corresponding to a first set of entries with program times.
3. The electronic program schedule of claim 2, wherein the source field and the content field are displayable in parallel columns with each one of the content providers aligned with a corresponding program title and a corresponding program time.
4. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, further comprising a second set of entries in the content field.
5. The electronic program schedule of claim 4, wherein the second set of entries list program times corresponding to times when a second set of content data is available from the content providers.
6. The electronic program schedule of claim 5, wherein the second set of entries further list program titles corresponding to the second set of content data.
7. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, further comprising a descriptor field for displaying a detailed description of a portion of the content data available from one or more of the content providers.
8. The electronic program schedule of claim 7, wherein the portion of the content data is selected by a user.
9. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, further comprising a filter field with at least one filter selection, wherein each filter selection is configured to select content providers listed in the source field.
10. The electronic program schedule of claim 2, further comprising a filter field with at least one filter selection, wherein each filter selection is configured to select the program titles listed in the source data field.
11. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, further comprising a search field for searching content data available from the content providers.
12. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, wherein the appliance field is configured for listing a status of each network enabled home appliance.
13. The electronic program schedule of claim 1, further comprising a control field for selectively operating each network enabled home appliance.
14. A schedule for simultaneously displaying program availabilities from scheduled content providers and on-demand content providers, the schedule comprising:
- a source field for listing the scheduled content providers and for listing the on-demand providers; and
- a content field for listing the program availabilities, wherein the content field is further configured for listing at least one network enabled home appliance and a status corresponding to the appliance.
15. The schedule of claim 14, wherein the source field is configured for listing the content providers in a first column and corresponding program availabilities in an adjacent and second column.
16. The schedule of claim 15, wherein the content field further comprises a third column for listing additional program availabilities.
17. The schedule of claim 14, wherein the content field is configured for listing variable program times from the scheduled program providers.
18. The schedule of claim 14, wherein the content field is configured to provide a description of a selected program availability.
19. The schedule of claim 14, wherein the program availability are selectable with a control device.
20. The schedule of claim 14, further comprising a filter field with one or more filter sections for filtering content provider listed in the source field.
21. The schedule of claim 14, further comprising a filter field with one or more filter selections for filtering program availabilities listed in the content field.
22. The schedule of claim 14, further comprising a search field for searching program availabilities from the content providers.
23. The schedule of claim 22, wherein the search field is configured for searching program availabilities from a selected content provider.
24. The schedule of claim 14, further comprising control field for selectively controlling the one or more network enabled home appliances.
25. The schedule of claim 1, wherein said at least one appliance is a kitchen refrigerator.
26. The schedule of claim 14, wherein said at least one appliance is a kitchen refrigerator.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 3, 2007
Publication Date: Mar 27, 2008
Applicant: Digital Deck, Inc. (Redwood City, CA)
Inventor: Theodore Griggs (Woodside, CA)
Application Number: 11/949,710
International Classification: G06F 3/00 (20060101);